Whisk warm water, yeast, and sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle or dough hook attachment. Cover yeast mixture and allow to sit for 5 minutes or until foamy on top.

Add salt, melted butter, and 3 cups (375g) of flour. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if needed, then add ¾ cup (95g) of flour. Beat on low speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 2 minutes.

Keep the dough in the mixer (and switch to the dough hook if using the paddle) and beat for an additional 5 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 full minutes.

Cover lightly with a towel and allow to rest for 10-30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

With a sharp knife, pizza cutter, or bench scraper, cut dough into 14-15 pieces, which is about ¼ cup (2 ounces) of dough each. Roll each piece of dough into a 14-inch rope. Tie the ropes into a knot, then tuck the ends underneath.

Mix water and baking soda together in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Place 2-3 pretzels into the boiling water for 20-30 seconds, flipping halfway through. Lift the pretzel knots out of the water and allow as much of the excess water to drip off. Place pretzel knots onto prepared baking sheets.

Sprinkle each with coarse sea salt while each are still wet or leave plain if using other toppings.

Bake for 20-24 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm.